DISFEAR, the Swedish "crust rock" outfit featuring former AT THE GATES/THE CROWN vocalist Tomas Lindberg and ex-ENTOMBED guitarist Ulf "Uffe" Cederlund, has issued the following update:

"We're kicking of 2008 with a short tour of Finland along with ROTTEN SOUND and it starts on the 21st of February. In mid-April we're heading back to the U.S. for a couple of weeks and that tour will hopefully include a date or two in Canada. We will also be back for Maryland Deathfest in late May. Keep a look out for more shows around that time. Unfortunately we will not make it to the West Soast this spring/summer like we were hoping to, but we're keeping our calendars open this fall. All things come to he, or she for that matter, who waits..."

DISFEAR's new album, "Live The Storm", was released on January 22 in North America (January 28 internationally) via Relapse Records. The follow-up to 2003's "Misanthropic Generation" was recorded with CONVERGE guitarist Kurt Ballou at his Godcity Studios in Salem, MA and includes 10 all new songs from the band. More...

Finland's ROTTEN SOUND has posted a new song, entitled "The Effects", on the group's MySpace page. The track comes off the band's new full-length album, "Cycles", due on January 9, 2008 via Spinefarm Records. The CD was recorded and mixed with Janne Saksa at Kantola and Sound Supreme studios. Mastering was handled by Pelle Henricsson at Tonteknik Studios.

The next ROTTEN SOUND full-length, “Cycles,” is ready for releasing. The album was recorded and mixed with Janne Saksa in Kantola Studios and Sound Supreme studios. Mastering was done by Pelle Henricsson at Tonteknik Studios. The release date is set for January 9th, 2008 and the album will be released by Spinefarm Records. The track listing is as follows:

Malevolent Creation has completed the writing and pre production demos for 13 songs and will begin the recording of their 10th full length album "DOOMSDAY X" in the coming weeks of November.

"We're very happy with the direction the music has taken for this new album with song writing credit's by each of the band members, and each song having it's own identity but retaining the classic Malevolent Creation sound," The band said in its release. "It is truly amazing to have everyone writing for this album and bring's a lot of new idea's to the songs. Fear not, each song is extremely brutal and covers a lot of territory as far as extreme metal is concerned. We have definitely had some huge obstacles to overcome to get this album written, but we are finally satisfied with all the music and are anxious to start recording."

The 11th edition of the Brutal Assault festival is scheduled for August 10th - 12th in Svojsice U Prelouce (100 km east of Prague), Czech Republic.

Organizers have issued the following update:

This year’s event promises more impressive expansion and confirms that the organizers don’t intend to stagnate. On the contrary, from year to year, the festival’s program is more and more various and promises more and more foreign metal crowd-pullers for the fans of promiscuous extreme genres. Thanks to the participation of many first-rate metal bands, this event aspires to become a major metal festival in central Europe.

It’s difficult to say which band can be branded as the headliner because this year’s lineup offers up several giants of the metal genre.

Great attraction, especially for fans of atmospheric or symphonic black metal are Norwegians black metal gurus DIMMU BORGIR. In their case we can look for a frosty and dark concert experience.

The next exclusive guest comes from the USA. FEAR FACTORY, who were well known as a representatives of dehumanized cyber metal, but nowadays they come with a new actual face of the year 2006. More...

Finnish grindcore troupe ROTTEN SOUND have kicked off 2006 with a European wide tour; dubbed the "Grind Your Face Off Tour 2006". The tour, in support of the recently reissued grind masterpiece Murderworks (produced by the late Mieszko Talarcyzk), began January 4th in the bands native Finland. The "Grind Your Face Off Tour" extends for four weeks across the bulk of the European mainland. Joining ROTTEN SOUND on the tour will be SAYYADINA (featuring Jon Lindqvuist from NASUM).

Finnish grindcore troupe ROTTEN SOUND will kick off 2006 with a European wide tour; dubbed the "Grind Your Face Off Tour 2006".

The tour is in support of the recently reissued grind masterpiece Murderworks (produced by the late Mieszko Talarcyzk) and begins January 4th in the bands native Finland. The "Grind Your Face Off Tour" extends for four weeks across the bulk of the European mainland. Joining ROTTEN SOUND on the tour will be SAYYADINA (featuring Jon Lindqvuist from NASUM).

Kalmah has been confirmed for Finland's Räntämetalli Festival on November 12. The festival will be taking place November 11 and 12. Other bands set to play include Moonsorrow, Rotten Sound, Omnium Gatherum, Stam1na and Swallow the Sun. For more information, visit www.rantametalli.com.

Tuska Open Air Metal Festival has added more international and Finnish acts to the 2005 roster. The line-up is almost complete with only 1 more artist to be added for Saturday afternoon as well as the winner from the band contest at Rotonde-Festival, France, which is to be held later this spring. This year's Tuska-Festival is more international than ever, with nearly half of the artists coming from abroad. The evening clubs will most likely see some international action as well.

New additions in Finnish professionalism will be represented by Apocalyptica, whose cello metal is witnessed way too rarely on their native soil. Apocalytica just recently supported Rammstein on their European tour and appeared stateside on a few selected dates.

German precision and universal greatness is brought to you by the mighty Gamma Ray. The band last appeared on the bill at Tuska 2000 and have since built their fanbase by selling out club shows on a regular basis.

Other additions include up-and-coming death metallers Amoral, Finnish-singing Stam1na and Viikate, as well as Callisto who are about to embark on a European tour in a few weeks.

Impaled have confirmed that they will be playing the Arizona Death Fest in April. Also, Impaled has announced that they will also be playing shows before and after the festival with Lord Gore and Engorged.

Impaled are also scheduled to play the Maryland Death Festival and play shows along the east coast with Rotten Sound and Aborted.

Impaled are also set to release their new album, "Death Before Life", March 8th.

Wintersun, featuring former Ensiferum vocalist Jari Mäenpää and Rotten Sound drummer Kai Hahto, have a new fan forum up and running at this location. The band's line-up was recently rounded out by bassist Jukka Koskinen and guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari.